Getting from Symi to Santorini

If you are heading to Santorini from Symi you are making your way from one of the most beautiful harbour towns in the Dodecanese to the most iconic island in Greece, on the opposite side of the Aegean. It has caldera views, volcanic beaches and the ancient Minoan site of Akrotiri preserved under volcanic ash.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Symi to Santorini. Getting there by sea means taking the ferry from Symi to Rhodes, which takes around 50 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes and runs multiple times daily, and then boarding the overnight Piraeus to Rhodes ferry in reverse, arriving at Piraeus and then boarding the Piraeus to Santorini ferry, which runs up to 9 daily departures in summer and takes around 5 to 9 hours. Flying is considerably more practical for most travelers.

Getting there by air

Santorini has an international airport with daily connections from Athens. Symi has no airport. The nearest airport is Rhodes. Taking the ferry from Symi to Rhodes, flying from Rhodes to Athens and then Athens to Santorini takes around 45 to 55 minutes on the second leg. Total journey time is around 5 to 6 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Take the ferry from Symi to Rhodes and fly from Rhodes to Athens, then fly from Athens to Santorini. It is the fastest and most practical approach. The arrival into the caldera by sea is one of the great island arrivals in Greece so if time allows the Piraeus to Santorini ferry is a rewarding alternative after flying to Athens. Note that Symi is car-free so if you are traveling with a car it would already be in Rhodes, from where you can board the overnight Piraeus ferry in reverse and then board the conventional Piraeus to Santorini ferry, which takes your vehicle directly to Athinios port.